The city’s longstanding policies regarding alcohol have come under fire from one council member, who said they are putting Jasper at a competitive disadvantage to surrounding counties. “We’re losing money left and right,” said council member Anne Sneve after the Monday, Aug. 1 council meeting. “We’re not saying we have to lose that family atmosphere, but everything around us is growing and we’re just stagnant. We want to look into this more and see what the liabilities would be and see what we can do.”See full story in this week's print or online editions.

Comments

Come on, hypocrites. Everyone knows that allowing alcohol sales increase revenue, and the "income approach to value"--the way buyers pay for property--as in bringing in $$ for mortgage payments raises property values. And tax revenue. This improves schools, and county government, if you all are involved in where the money goes, instead of supporting corrupt judges who lock people up jet for asking.

If you have some hang-up about alcohol, don't go to a hospital, or use Nyquil, and become a Muslim. The rest of us will be turning water in to wine, like Je$u$ and Franklin Graham, the money grubber do. And making money for towns that serve food and pour. Like normal restaurant owners.

IF you have to regulate others consuming alcohol, move to Saudi Arabia where The Donald. He has a money losing hotel there, and soon will have one on the Red Square when the hilljacks elect him as Putin's monkey boy...

Uh, anyone that thinks Jasper doesn't need more businesses is naive! After all, look at the unemployment rates in this county.

Look, Canton and Ellijay have booming economies. Continuing with our antiquated religious beliefs about alcohol is getting our town nowhere.

Those that think changing our alcohol laws will result in more problems are wrong! Look, the last thing I want is more traffic and more drunks on the road. But this city needs some improvements. All our budget problems are due to a local government that's really not interested in bettering this town. They need to be looking for new businesses to open shop here and help our citizens find work. Why must we drive to Canton or Ellijay for a job?

If waitresses, bartenders and restaurant managers all comply with GA law, they'll not serve clearly intoxicated people. Opening more restaurants is not the problem. Employees that are supposed to stop serving intoxicated people, but don't, is the problem.

Come on, Outback, Applebees, and all the rest! Help us get to the 21st century like the rest of America.

Alcohol is not the answer, but it is part of the equation. I remember the economic development director wanting jobs that pay 12.00 an hour!!??!! REALLY?? We need to develop a wide ranging, comprehensive and thorough means of economic development that brings in jobs of significant income. Current government leaders are woefully incompetent and dysfunctional in which to bring us to the next level. No we do not need to be Alpharetta or Woodstock, but when communities such as Dahlonega, Dawsonville, Ellijay and Calhoun are EATING OUR LUNCH, we've got to move aggressively. Retails and restaurants are NOT THE ANSWER. We need a diverse and different businesses that are not easy to replicate. Tax base supposedly shrunk by 3 million therefore requiring tax increases, including folks moving and kids having NO real opportunities to live, work and play in the community when they graduate from high school or college. Have we communicated with Al Burruss or Carl Vinson Government Institutes? Have we looked at other options to spur economic development?

I don't think alcohol is the answer per se but we need the big restaurant chains. I'm all for grabbing the sales tax money from the travelers on 515 that we can get. I know the restaurants don't pay top wages but perhaps the taxes they pay can keep us property owners from having a tax increase. I do agree with Superman that we do need diverse and different businesses that employee 10 plus employees on a long term basis. It would be great if the county could partner with someone and invest in some type of business technology park in our county. This would require the cable companies charging a reasonable rate for fiber/data service and not trying to rip the business off. I contacted ETC for fiber/high speed internet at my office and they wanted $1200 a month!!! That's insane!!!!